Third-rate Martial Family Becomes the Best Under Heaven - Chapter 125

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Third-rate Martial Arts Family, Greatest Under Heaven – Episode 125
Among the Five Great Families of the realm, the Jegal Family.
Shaolin, the North Star and Great Peak among the Nine Sects and One Faction.
Enemies coveting his treasures.
Thus, he had to prepare, respond, and fortify his defenses.
Though the hour was late, the Wol-hang-ru Master immediately set out toward his destination.
The destination was a sprawling estate bearing a plaque inscribed with “Blood Night Manor.”
“Ha! What brings the renowned Wol-hang-ru Master to these late hours?”
“Master of Blood Night Manor. I find myself with an urgent request.”
Hangzhou’s influence was vast enough to be counted among the greatest in all the Central Plains.
Consequently, the number of sects stationed there easily exceeded a hundred, and Blood Night Manor ranked among the ten most powerful faction branches.
“A request, you say? What business would the Wol-hang-ru have with a martial sect whose only accomplishment is commanding a handful of fools who know nothing but sword and rice? Surely you’re not entrusting the Wol-hang-ru’s security to mere black-path thugs.”
Like most of the realm, Hangzhou was rife with both black and white paths, maintaining a precarious balance.
The Wol-hang-ru Master had long cultivated closer ties with the white-path factions.
Yet against Shaolin and the Jegal Family, he could not rely on white-path strength.
‘Indeed, even most black-path sects would hesitate to become entangled.’
This was why he had sought out the Master of Blood Night Manor.
Gu Tae-rang, master of Blood Night Manor, possessed a nature so cruel and greedy as to border on the evil rather than merely the dark—he would not back away.
Provided sufficient compensation was promised.
“I shall speak plainly.”
The Wol-hang-ru Master, having explained only the essential details of today’s events, produced a box he had prepared in advance.
Gold taels filled it to the brim—a hundred taels in total.
“I offer one hundred gold taels as advance payment. I further pledge to entrust Blood Night Manor with numerous commissions henceforth. Please, lend me your aid.”
The Master of Blood Night Manor’s expression turned amused as he scraped his chin with his sword’s edge.
“Wol-hang-ru Master. Are you not among the ten wealthiest merchants in Hangzhou?”
“….”
“Yet you would make enemies of Shaolin alongside the Jegal Family, for merely a hundred taels?”
“With the final payment included, two hundred taels. I further pledge to maintain close relations with you thereafter.”
“Hmm.”
Suddenly, the Master of Blood Night Manor felt his mouth water.
The acrid scent of money wafted most pleasantly.
“I shall dispatch the Blood Night Seven Blades. In exchange, five hundred taels.”
The Blood Night Seven Blades was an epithet for seven supreme masters whose martial prowess was counted among the finest in Blood Night Manor.
“…There is no need to commit such overwhelming force. First, let us recover Wol-hyang from those villains’ grasp, and henceforth we shall prepare together against future troubles….”
The Master of Blood Night Manor cut off the Wol-hang-ru Master’s words.
“But I wish to send them nonetheless.”
Only then did the Wol-hang-ru Master perceive the Master of Blood Night Manor’s true intention.
He was deliberately offering excessive force to extort more silver.
Anger flared suddenly, yet simultaneously came relief.
A greedy wolf who had caught the scent of money would never withdraw, no matter what transpired hereafter.
‘If only I could reclaim Wol-hyang and bind her to my side forever. That would be profitable.’
The Wol-hang-ru Master bowed his head quietly once more.

* * *
“Sister!”
Jegal Seol-ha rushed forward like the wind, gently prying the silver-hilted blade from So Wol-hyang’s trembling hands before wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
Tears like dewdrops had already begun to gather at the corners of her eyes, glistening with emotion.
Like So Wol-hyang, Jegal Seol-ha had endured hellish days driven by inborn talent against her will, carrying that same deep wound.
Walking a path intertwined with melody and rhythm just as she did, and bearing similar scars from the past—it was only natural that she felt a profound kinship.
“Sister. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
The tears of these two women—or rather, girls not yet of age—left wet marks upon the floor.
“Follow what my senior brother said, sister. He’ll resolve everything. Without fail.”
So Wol-hyang turned her tear-stained gaze toward Jegal Seol-ha.
As if answering that look, Jegal Seol-ha continued speaking.
“Ever since childhood, my senior brother has always found a way through, leading those beside him forward. So this time too, he’ll surely save you brilliantly and magnificently.”
In Jegal Seol-ha’s eyes, the image of Yang Hwi reflected.
A stone scarred and weathered, yet smooth and rounded without sharp edges, and above all, solid and unyielding in appearance.
“Young Master. Why do you wish to help me?”
So Wol-hyang’s voice trembled with a desperation that was almost unbearable to hear.
Betrayal by one she trusted. A past twisted by greed.
It would be terrifying to trust anyone. She would need certainty.
“Didn’t I tell you, sister? I’m playing the role of an assassin for hire. I help because there’s profit in it.”
“Even though you ask only for a verse of song in return?”
Yang Hwi smiled faintly once more, offering the exact same answer as in his previous life.
“A single verse from So Wol-hyang—descendant of So So-so and So Dong-pa, renowned as Hangzhou’s finest courtesan despite her tender years! Truly, a treasure worth ten thousand gold!”
In truth, there was another reason.
The reason he had accepted her request in his previous life, knowing nothing at all.
“My righteousness, inherited from my father, lies in rescue and compassion.”
“I acted to rescue, yet your suffering remains unhealed. How could I simply leave this be?”
Words his father had spoken while looking upon a beggar boy abandoned in a dark cave.
Rescue—the desire to save.
Compassion—to pity the wretched.
“Why would I need a reason to seek compassion, to help the suffering? Wouldn’t you agree?”
Sensing the atmosphere growing too solemn, I lightened the mood with a jest.
“Besides, any true man cannot stand idle while a beauty is oppressed.”
“….”
“So trust me, sister.”
So Wol-hyang simply wept quietly.
Yet the emotion contained within her flowing tears had shifted, ever so slightly, from before.

* * *
I led my group to the Dong-pa Inn with Wol-hyang, securing a room for our stay.
It was a place familiar to So Wol-hyang, and being situated in a remote location meant that whatever was to come would not endanger innocent civilians.
Jegal Seol-ha, savoring the exquisite Dong-pa pork that So Suk-su had prepared, suddenly posed a question.
“Senior Brother, what’s your plan?”
“Hmm? Plan for what?”
Jegal Seol-ha’s gaze shifted toward So Wol-hyang before returning to me.
-About my sister’s situation. Don’t you think we should move quickly?
Upon hearing her transmission, I fell into contemplation.
Hmm. Should I explain this or not?
At minimum, a brief explanation seemed necessary for So Wol-hyang’s sake, given the anxiety she would naturally feel.
“We cannot act first. The justification lies with the Wol-hang-ru Master.”
Regardless of what So Wol-hyang had done in the past, the contract of servitude she had made with the Wol-hang-ru Master was legitimate.
Though he possessed tremendous wealth, the Wol-hang-ru Master held the status of a commoner, so I could not arbitrarily employ force against him.
“So we must wait until he crosses the line.”
I paused briefly, recalling events from my previous life.
The timing differed from back then, but it would surely not be significantly different.
If that were the case.
‘Then this becomes easier.’
“It will happen soon anyway. The Wol-hang-ru Master will want swift resolution.”
“Is that so? Let me know if there’s anything I should prepare for.”
“Hmm. Prepare for a fight? No, that won’t be necessary either.”
I was calmly eating the Dong-pa pork when the outside grew chaotic, and So Suk-su burst through the door, his voice trembling with fear.
“Y-Young Master! The Wol-hang-ru Master is approaching with a contingent of martial artists!”
“Speak of the tiger and it appears. Let’s go. Adu, you come too.”
I stepped outside, bringing Jegal Seol-ha and Adu with me.
‘The Wol-hang-ru Master and approximately twenty martial artists. Seven of them appear to be at the pinnacle realm.’
A group of fierce-looking black-blade masters, each with crimson swords hanging from their waists. Except for appearing somewhat younger, they were the same ones I had seen in my previous life.
The fact that their faces remained unchanged despite the passage of time suggested they would all survive at least another decade.
‘Every single one of them died by my hand in my previous life.’
“It appears you are the Seven Blades of the Blood Night Faction. How shameless—serving under an old fool like that.”
Il-do, the leader of the Seven Blades of the Blood Night, grinned wickedly.
“If the money’s good, we’d suck a dog’s cock.”
“Oh? I’ll give you a hundred taels. Go ahead and try. What a luxury—to witness seven pinnacle experts all sucking a dog’s cock together.”
“You’re just speaking figuratively, brat. You want to die?”
“Is there anyone in this world who actually wants to die? What a foolish question.”
While I responded with perfect composure, and Adu stood vacant-eyed and expressionless.
Jegal Seol-ha shielded So Wol-hyang with her own body, her frame rigid with tension.
It was a natural reaction—the opposition consisted of twenty martial artists, including seven at the pinnacle realm.
It was a natural reaction, considering the opponent was twenty martial artists, including seven masters at their peak.
—Senior, isn’t this a crisis?
—It is a crisis.
Both in quantity and quality, we’re being pushed back. That makes it a crisis.
If it were just me and Adu, I could manage somehow, but I have no confidence in repelling twenty men while simultaneously protecting Jegal Seol-ha and So Wol-hyang.
However.
“Listen here.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a matter to settle first. I want to see the Wol-hang-ru Master’s face contort, so let’s finish this before we fight.”
All seven members of the Bloodnight Seven widened their eyes.
They had grasped the meaning behind Yang Hwi’s words.
“How did you know?”
“The way those Black Path bastards scheme is always the same.”
“Haha, your audacity is matched only by your cunning.”
The Wol-hang-ru Master, who had been growing anxious at this unexpected turn of events, quickly stepped forward.
“Honored masters of the Bloodnight Seven, please carry out the Bang-ju’s orders at once.”
“Ah, right.”
Il-do of the Bloodnight Seven drew a money pouch from his bosom and held it out to the Wol-hang-ru Master.
“Take it. That courtesan called Wol-hyang—this is her price.”
“What is the meaning of this? If the Bang-ju learns of this, he will not let it pass.”
“This is the Bang-ju’s own command. He learned that there exists a precious treasure and wishes to obtain it with his own hands and cherish it. So sell her.”
“…I have no intention of selling Wol-hyang.”
Il-do replied as if it were nothing.
“If you won’t sell, your head will roll, won’t it?”
…
One of the differences between the Black Path and the White Path.
Unlike the White Path, the Black Path wields force without justification.
That is precisely why it is called the Black Path.
I had been waiting for this moment.
The instant the Bloodnight Faction intervenes, everything changes.
The moment a White Path warrior’s extortion of another’s property transforms into a confrontation between White and Black, the scope of action expands dramatically.
“Hey, old man. Are you an idiot? What were you thinking, dragging in the Black Path?”
The Wol-hang-ru Master’s face went pale at Yang Hwi’s mockery.
He had finally realized what happens when you summon the wolf yourself.
“In any case, a foolish bastard with nothing but greed. Since there are members of Shaolin and the Jegal Family here, you couldn’t even ask other sects for help.”
Thus the Bloodnight Bang-ju was not merely accepting the commission but harboring far greater ambitions.
He likely never imagined there would be another who, like himself, would not hesitate to cross the line.
“So, with this, the courtesan Wol-hyang now belongs to our Bloodnight Faction. Therefore I propose this: if you don’t wish to die, all of you kneel.”
“And if we refuse?”
Il-do laughed savagely.
“Then you die. I came without concern for consequences, but that doesn’t mean I need to leave any behind.”
A snort escaped me involuntarily.
“Surrender or not, I would have killed you anyway.”
“Caught? Heh heh, you’re quite perceptive.”
The Blood Night Blade assassins began forming an encirclement.
Dried blood clung to their drawn blades like stubborn grime.
With such sinister killing intent layered atop it, the scene was enough to make one’s legs tremble.
“S-Senior. What should we do?”
From Jegal Seol-ha’s perspective, there seemed to be no way to escape this crisis.
Unless Yang Hwi had sent word somewhere and arranged for reinforcements in advance.
“The others may be numerous, but I’ll do what I can regardless. However, facing a master of the highest caliber is impossible.”
Even if sound martial arts were optimized for one person to face many, their limits were not boundless.
Especially against a master of the highest caliber—sound martial arts could be neutralized far too easily.
The moment an opponent wrapped themselves in protective energy, the technique’s power would plummet.
This was precisely why martial artists who trained in sound martial arts were so rarely seen.
“Yang Hwi. Are we going to play with them?”
“No. I’m going to teach them a lesson.”
“Then let’s go! This will be fun!”
Unlike Jegal Seol-ha, Adu laughed brightly and raised her massive hands like pot lids, clenching her fists.
Watching Adu like that, I offered a word of caution.
“Wait a moment. If we charge in recklessly, Sister Wol-hyang will be in trouble.”
It was fine to rampage, but if our client Sister Wol-hyang were taken hostage, that would be extremely problematic.
So.
So then.
I grinned and raised my voice.
“You may come out now, Master!”
That was the moment.
Chara-la-la-rang!
A melody permeated all directions like mist—a sound that was felt not by the eardrums alone, but by the skin itself, by the entire body.
“Kugh!”
“What is this sudden—!”
“Cough, hack!”
The beautiful melody brought every Blood Night Blade assassin to their knees.
At that same moment, a young girl who appeared to be around fifteen slowly descended from the sky.
As Eum Hu touched the ground, she exhaled a sigh and looked at me.
“How did you know, Namgung Cheon-yeong?”
I simply grinned once more.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————